Address allocation of subnets operatively coupled by routers in a network typically use Internet Protocol (IP) as a preferred choice for facilitating communication and routing of data packets. However, it is not always easy to provide valid IP address allocations for ad-hoc networks and networks whose configuration is prone to modifications.
In U.S. Patent issued under number U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,545 there is described a method for allocating IP address allocation and assignment. Assignment is accomplished by a claim and collide address test in which a test result is typically provided by a Bootstrap or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) response.
In U.S. Patent issued under number U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,245 there is described a system and method for implicitly supporting contiguous and discontiguous IP sub-networks. The system and method use a management station that maintains a database that operates in cooperation with a series of forwarding policies to create dynamic routing tables for supporting and defining the IP subnetworks.
There are also many standards documents that define mechanisms for IP address allocations for hosts and single links. However, although the prior art subnet identifier allocation and routing systems and methods are useful, it would be beneficial if subnets in a network are identified by a unique subnet identifier that is determined to be unique by, and allocated automatically by, the network without requiring a central server.
In this specification, including the claims, the terms ‘comprises’, ‘comprising’ or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a method or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.